At Last
by kci47
Summary: "Oh, and don't bother coming back until all your issues have been resolved. You're both on leave." When Elliot and Olivia get sent off to conflict resolution therapy, things take a shocking turn. And then they take a few more shocking turns. AU in that Elliot's not gone for good but Kathy is, and assuming NYPD would actually pay for such a thing as conflict resolution. M.
1. Introduction: The Chateau

_Introduction: The Chateau_

* * *

"Where's my paperwork on the Kincer case?" Olivia asked, rummaging around on the top of her desk.

"How should I know?" Elliot asked, not even bothering to look up from his computer.

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because I asked you to bring it up here when you left interrogation earlier?" Olivia snapped. Honestly, sometimes she thought he was obtuse on purpose.

"What do I look like, your personal pack mule?" Elliot growled. "I'm not here to-"

"Benson. Stabler. My office." Captain Cragen glared at them both before disappearing into his office.

"Great. I was trying to get this done before we left for Rikers, but now you've dragged me into something..." Elliot was still griping as they made their way to Cragen's door. Olivia just rolled her eyes and stepped inside, trying to ignore Elliot. Lately, she'd been doing that a lot-mostly unsuccessfully.

"Both of you, sit down." Cragen's tone was firm and Olivia racked her brain for what might have gotten them in trouble. Surprisingly, they'd been playing by the rules fairly well as of late, and nothing came to mind.

The captain sighed and looked at each of them in turn. "It's come to my attention that the two of you have been sniping and snarling at each other more than usual lately. I can't have your personal dramas affecting the rest of the squad, so I'm sending you both for a weekend of conflict resolution therapy."

"WHAT?!" Elliot's bellow was probably audible down in the cells, but Olivia couldn't blame him at the moment. Therapy? Them? What was Cragen thinking?

Before she could ask, though, Elliot turned on her. "This is your fault, you know. If you didn't have to constantly double-check everything I do-"

"What do you mean, _my _fault? If you would just stop breathing down my neck every five seconds-"

Cragen held up a hand. "Enough. You're just proving my point. The two of you are going, and that's final." He pulled two packets from a drawer in his desk, handing one to each of them. "These are your aliases. If anyone from here asks, you're going undercover. I can't have 1PP finding out my two best detectives aren't playing nice."

Olivia stared at the envelope in her hand, labeled _Amanda Collins_. Glancing over, she tried to read Elliot's envelope, but it was clenched in his fist.

"Captain-" he started.

"It starts in three hours and it'll take you that long to pack and get there. Now go." Cragen returned his attention to the papers on his desk, and Olivia knew they'd been dismissed. She stood and her hand was on the doorknob when Cragen added, "Oh, and don't bother coming back until all your issues have been resolved. You're both on leave."

She was still glued to the spot, dumbfounded, when Elliot strode to the door and shoved his way past her. Glaring at his back, she stormed after him.

* * *

Three hours and one very silent car ride later, they pulled up to a small cabin nestled in the woods of Beekman Park. Just two stories tall, it didn't look like the kind of place where conflict resolution therapy was held. But what did she know? Maybe this was a way to help clients unwind.

As she pondered their temporary home, Olivia realized Elliot was already out of the car and halfway up the sidewalk, bag slung over his shoulder. Scrambling out of the car, she yanked her bag from the backseat and hurried after him.

"Couldn't have at least offered to carry mine, oh no," she muttered to herself as they climbed the wooden stairs to the front door. Elliot rapped sharply on the door before pushing it open and striding in. Ducking after him, Olivia's eyes were adjusting to the darker interior so she didn't immediately see the woman who greeted them.

"Hello! You must be Amanda and Dave," the voice said. Olivia squinted slightly to try and catch a glimpse of their tormentor-er, therapist. The woman appeared to be in her mid-thirties, petite, with wispy blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Olivia's first uncharitable thought was that this woman seemed weak, but she tried to tamp down her irritation. It wasn't the therapist's fault they were here.

When Elliot only grunted in response, Olivia stepped forward and held out a hand. "Yes, hi. It's nice to meet you, Dr...?"

"Oh, we don't go by formal names here." Her laughter was a light tinkle. "You can call me Traci! Now let's come sign all the paperwork so you can go meet the others."

"Others?" Olivia's question was lost amid Traci's rapid chatter about "the chateau" and how much they were going to love their stay. Following Traci into a well-appointed but rustic-looking office, Olivia nodded absentmindedly. Truth be told, she wouldn't mind a small vacation from the daily grind of work, and she thought Elliot might feel the same. When she chanced a glance at her angry partner, however, she recoiled. He still looked madder than hell.

"Okay, Dave and Amanda, here are your client agreements. Basically, no verbal or physical abuse is allowed while you're here, and you are to respect the opinions of your partner and the other couples. Just sign, please, and then we can get started."

Olivia remembered at the last second to sign _Amanda Collins _but the _A_ definitely looked more like an _O_. It wouldn't pass a handwriting analysis, that was for sure. She handed her contract back to Traci and Elliot did the same. Traci clapped her hands and smiled broadly at them both. "Excellent! Welcome to Couples' Therapy Retreat, you two!"

* * *

**A/N: This plot line is hardly original, so I can't take credit. I will, however, take credit for applying it to Olivia and Elliot. I'm imaginary-setting this somewhere during their "15th" season or so-and pretending that Elliot didn't leave forever and that he's divorced for good. Okay, enough disclaimers.**

**Wait, no. Forgot one. Not Dick Wolf or NBC.**


	2. Chapter 1: Resistance

_Chapter 1: Resistance_

* * *

Silence reigned for several long moments after Traci's pronouncement. Finally, Olivia cleared her throat and asked the first question on her mind: "I'm sorry, did you say _Couples' Therapy_?" She shook her head, thinking she must not have heard correctly.

"Yes! Now, don't let the official-sounding title scare you—what we're really here to do is help you two reconnect. Rediscover the intimacy you used to have." Traci was practically bouncing on her toes, she looked so excited to get started.

Olivia looked at Elliot. A dull red color was creeping up his face from his neck, and his fist was clenching and unclenching spastically. Their day had just gone from bad to worse.

"What in the hell—" he started, but Olivia cut in.

"I think, what we _mean_, is that we thought we were signed up for regular ol' conflict resolution training." She laughed nervously. "There must be some mistake."

"Oh, no, isn't that what a relationship is, at the heart? Conflicts and resolving them?" Traci grinned broadly at the two of them. "Don't worry, this is a safe place, a place of healing and moving forward. You don't have to disclose any personal details that you don't want to. Now come on, let's go meet the other couples! Just leave your bags here for now." She bounded off towards the door, but Olivia and Elliot stayed put. Olivia felt as though she was glued to this particular spot on the carpet. Maybe if she just stayed still, this would all go away—

"I'm calling Cragen," Elliot growled, pulling out his cell phone. "If this is his idea of a joke—"

"Tsk! Thank you for reminding me, Dave." Traci swept back and held out her hands. "We have a strict no-cell phone policy here, so hand 'em over, you two!" She smiled inanely at them, waiting.

Groaning, Olivia reluctantly handed her cell phone over. When it appeared that Elliot might use physical force to keep possession of his cell phone, Olivia reached over and snatched it away for Traci. He turned to glare at her, but she murmured, "It's basically the same thing, right? Let's just get it done and go home."

Elliot didn't look convinced, but at least he no longer looked like he wanted to murder anyone.

"Thank you!" Traci chirped, locking their phones in a drawer in her desk. "Now let's get going! You do NOT want to be late to our first circle time!"

* * *

Circle time turned out to be an uncomfortable cross between meditation and cheesy corporate ice breakers. After Traci led a round of the name song, Olivia wanted to poke her own eyes out. By the time they'd finished a game of hot potato, Olivia wanted to poke _Traci's _eyes out. Slowly.

Trying to will away her frustration, Olivia glanced over at Elliot to see how he was coping. He'd barked out his responses when called upon, but otherwise remained sullen and withdrawn. Sighing, Olivia wondered when she'd lost the ability to read him. She still _could_, to some extent; hell, they'd been partners for years and she knew his moods like she knew her own face. But somewhere along the way she'd realized that she could no longer always figure out the reasons behind the moods as well as she once had. And that rankled.

Traci began explaining the rules for yet another ridiculous get-to-know-you game, but Olivia tuned her out, deep in thought about Elliot. Truth be told, she'd been less open with him over the past few years, as well. After her ordeal at Sealview, she'd chalked up her reluctance to confide in him with the post-traumatic stress and her desire to move past it all, but maybe it was more than that. In fact, maybe it had started before then, and she was just as much to blame for their current hostile state as he was.

The thought was mildly depressing.

On the heels of that realization, Olivia had another: maybe couples' therapy _was _what they needed. They spent so much time together they might as well be a couple, just without the romance. Or _INT-ima-cy_, as Traci was fond of pronouncing it. Although in many ways, they had reached levels of intimacy with each other that neither had achieved in any outside relationships. Certainly, a lack of certain kinds of intimacies is what had led to Elliot and Kathy's eventual and final divorce. At least it had been amiable enough—Olivia didn't want to know how bad the fallout would have been if things had gotten contentious between the two. Elliot had been enough of a grizzly bear in the year since the papers were signed and sealed.

Actually, now that she thought about it, maybe the divorce had contributed more to Elliot's foul moods of late than she'd initially thought. Even though he had been in favor of the split, maybe he was still feeling guilty and lost. She'd just chalked the whole thing up to an end of an era and hadn't given it much more thought, but she wondered now if she'd been too hasty to dismiss the long-reaching effects of the dissolution of their marriage. Returning her attention to Traci, she determined to renew her patience with her surly partner.

* * *

Bored out of her mind, Olivia surveyed the other people sitting around the circle. The other two couples at the retreat seemed nice enough, Olivia supposed. One was a middle-aged couple who, if Olivia's instincts were correct, were trying to rediscover their love for one another after finding themselves in an empty nest. They were soft-spoken and seemed determined to treat the weekend with due respect if not enthusiasm. The other couple—well, the other couple _defined _enthusiasm. They looked to be in their early twenties, and Olivia wondered how on earth they already felt they needed counseling. They sat facing each other, hands clasped, eyes locked. They uttered statements like, "I just want to love and appreciate you as much as you deserve" and "You're the most amazing, stunning star in the entire universe." Olivia rolled her eyes as the young man told the girl she was a sparkling unicorn in a field of ponies.

At long last, the obnoxious circle time came to a close. Traci informed the couples that they would receive their schedules and then head over to the dining room for dinner. Relieved, Olivia wondered if the hours between dinner and bed would be structured as well. She wanted nothing more right now than to hole up under a blanket undisturbed for a few hours. She was sure that Elliot would benefit from some time to calm down as well. Maybe they could even go retrieve their phones from Traci's desk...

"Now, before I hand out the schedules, we have one last activity." Traci was gazing lovingly at each of the couples, as though they were her children and not her clients. "We're all about communication and trust here, but we don't want to forget passion, do we?" Her chipper tone grated on Olivia's nerves. "So before we skip off, I'm going to ask each of you to kiss your partner."

Oh, hell. Olivia's stomach sank. She was afraid to look at Elliot in case his face was set in a similar "hell, no" expression. Gathering her courage, she reminded herself that they'd kissed on other occasions before, and it was no big deal. Granted, those times had mostly been life-or-death undercover situations, but still. How different could it be?

Traci ruined her hopeful attitude with her next words. "Not just a peck on the cheek or a run-of-the-mill smooch, either. I'm going to set my timer, and you're going to kiss each other for a full minute—with your _eyes open_. You wouldn't believe how many couples come in and realize they barely even make eye contact anymore! So we developed this fun little activity to help us kickstart your newfound intimacy."

Olivia was fairly certain the groan of dismay came from her. But it might have been Elliot. Even the middle-aged couple didn't seem too pleased, although the younger two were already engaged in some serious lip-locking. Uncomfortable, Olivia looked away—and locked eyes with her partner.

The cool blue of Elliot's eyes were usually calming to her. He was always so sure, so confident, and she leaned on him more than she probably should. Gazing into the depths now, however, she was unsure how to interpret the emotion there. All she knew was that the intensity with which he was staring at her sent a shiver down her back.

"Alright, I see Barney and Muffy are already getting started! Come on, the rest of you; pucker up. Time starts—now!" Traci pressed a button on her watch and looked up expectantly.

Olivia swallowed thickly and scooted closer to Elliot. They were both still sitting on the padded mats provided for circle time, and both were facing towards the center of the circle. Olivia stopped just short of actually touching Elliot's shoulder, although she felt his nearness through her clothing. His eyes never wavered as she came closer but he made no move to kiss her. Taking a deep breath, Olivia reminded herself _again_ that they had kissed before; that he'd seen her in various states of undress; that they were here for the sake of their jobs; and that this was no big deal.

Deciding to go for it before she lost her nerve, Olivia closed the gap between them quickly, pressing her lips ungracefully against Elliot's. Then she froze every muscle in place, trying to just get through this embarrassing encounter with as much dignity intact as possible. Elliot clearly felt the same, because he didn't so much as flinch when she kissed him, and he too was remaining still as a statue. Fixing her eyes on a point just past Elliot's head, she was counting seconds when Traci's voice sounded from extremely close by.

"Now, you two, I meant for you to look into each other's eyes! Tsk!" Traci moved into Olivia's field of vision and pointed at Elliot's head. "I'm going to restart your minutes, okay? Make eye contact!" And with that she disappeared again.

Unwillingly, Olivia let her eyes drift over to meet Elliot's gaze. _Well, this isn't so bad_, she thought, still trying not to move an inch while they kept their lips pressed together. _Our time must almost be up— _

"That was ten seconds, good job!" Traci chirped at them.

Wanting to sigh but unable to, Olivia rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. One corner of Elliot's right eye crinkled and she felt him smile against her mouth. Before she knew it, they were both laughing, rather hysterically, as Traci shook her head.

"I can see that you two are going to be my difficult ones. Oh well, I'll break down your resistance yet!" Their therapist grabbed three folders off a nearby table and gestured for them all to follow her, chattering on about tomorrow's activities.

Olivia gratefully straightened away from Elliot and busied herself with standing up and dusting off her pants. When she looked up, she found that he was waiting for her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"After you," was all he said, turning and following when she walked past him to catch up to the group.

* * *

Dinner was much more relaxed than circle time had been. The couples and Traci sat together at a large wooden table, helping themselves to the buffet and chatting idly. Olivia learned that the middle-aged couple, Melanie and Andrew, were both professors and that their two daughters had indeed recently moved out, leaving the two alone for the first time in decades. They didn't know what to expect from couples' counseling but thought it would be a good chance to reconnect after years of focusing on parenting and their careers. Muffy and Barney had signed up on a whim, excited to spend the weekend in a "fancy chalet". Olivia had to bite her cheek to keep from snorting when Muffy asked if there was a hot tub somewhere on the property.

Through it all, Elliot ate silently beside her. He answered questions yes or no if possible, only providing the barest of details if the question called for it. Olivia was still not quite used to her new name, and it was only as Melanie asked her for the _third _time what she did for a living that she realized "Amanda" was her.

"Oh! Um, El—Dave and I work together, actually. We're, ah..." She faltered. They weren't supposed to be cops, but had Cragen given them any other background? She didn't think so. Luckily, Elliot chose that moment to sweep into the conversation.

"We're partners at a large business in Manhattan," he answered easily. Olivia nodded, relieved.

"So you work together. That must put a lot of strain on your relationship," Traci sympathized.

"I wouldn't want anyone else," Elliot responded without hesitation.

Surprised by his fervor and more than a little flattered, Olivia felt a blush creep up her cheeks. It only got worse when Muffy and Traci _aww-_ed and commented on how sweet it was. Elliot seemed to have used up all his words for the evening because he lapsed back into silence, shoveling food away like a starving man. Once the conversation had moved on to something else, Olivia leaned over and whispered to Elliot, "I wouldn't want anyone else, either."

Elliot shot her a quick smile and Olivia turned her attention back to her food, her mood inexplicably buoyed. Maybe this whole weekend wouldn't be a fiasco, after all. She was still in a good mood when Traci directed them upstairs to the guest rooms, telling them to get some rest because tomorrow was going to be a "big, big day!" Olivia felt her happiness dim slightly when she realized that she and Elliot had been directed to the same room, but she shook it off. It must be dorm- or cabin-style rooms with separate beds.

Except, it wasn't. The rooms at the lodge were suites: a large sitting area complete with small kitchenette, and a moderate-sized bedroom at the back. Bedroom _singular_. Olivia and Elliot stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they examined the lone queen bed.

"I'll take the couch," Elliot sighed.

"No, wait." Olivia flew across the room to another door. "This might be another—oh." She tried to back out quickly and slam the door shut, but Elliot was already beside her, one hand stopping her from closing the door.

Olivia thought she heard Elliot mutter "of course" but she couldn't be sure. He shook his head as he moved away, but Olivia couldn't take her eyes off the giant hot tub set into the bathroom floor. It was a garish shade of red and surrounded by candles, towels, scented oils, and baskets of roses. A folded note that said _Welcome and Enjoy _was set against the faucet.

_Well, at least Muffy will be pleased_, Olivia thought. Unwanted images of Muffy and Barney in the hot tub scrolled across her brain, and Olivia tried to redirect her thoughts. Unfortunately, her traitorous mind shifted to images of her and _Elliot _in the tub, and Olivia gasped. She backed out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, hoping to forget the scandalous thoughts as easily. Their relationship was _not _one of that sort of physicality, and Olivia fought hard to keep it that way. It hadn't always been easy—she suspected there was at least a tiny bit of attraction on Elliot's part, and lord knows there had always been some on her side as well. But the nature of their job, not to mention Elliot's marriage, had created a number of barriers, ones that neither she nor Elliot were willing to cross. And it was better that way.

_Is it? _asked a seductive voice in the back of her mind. _Aren't you the least bit curious? Don't you want to know what it feels like to have Elliot's hands on you, when you're _not _undercover? _

"No!" Olivia answered herself, realizing too late that she'd spoken out loud.

Elliot raised an eyebrow at her. "No, what?"

She inhaled sharply, trying to get her rampaging thoughts under control. "I meant no, I'll take the couch. You're taller and I don't think you'll fit."

Congratulating herself on sounding normal, Olivia went to pick up her bag and unpack. She'd just have to avoid their bathroom for the remainder of their stay.

* * *

**A/N: Is there some kind of SVU facts website out there somewhere? For instance, how long have Olivia and Elliot been partners? Did she come on board in episode 1 season 1 or were they a pre-established team at the premiere of the show? And what are the correct slang terms for their office—the pen, cells, etc.? If anyone is an SVU expert please shoot me a PM because I have lots of technical questions. :)**

"**Sparkling unicorn in a field of ponies" is similar to something that I read in an article somewhere—unfortunately, I've forgotten where, or I would reference it. Because it's hilarious. Side note, if you have any ideas for potentially steamy retreat activities, shoot 'em my way. **

**I'm not Dick Wolf or NBC, which should be obvious because if I was there would have been a lot more Elliot/Olivia action. **


	3. Chapter 2: Guilt

_Chapter 2: Guilt_

* * *

It took Olivia less than fifteen minutes to unpack. Just as she was stuffing her empty duffel bag into the closet, she became aware of someone watching her. Delaying turning around to face her partner just yet, she stood on her toes to peer onto the top shelf of the closet.

"Need help?" Elliot asked, moving closer automatically. He was always stepping in when he thought she needed a hand, which she typically appreciated—although lately it felt more like he was doubtful of her abilities than anything else. Trying to reprogram her instantaneous "annoyed" response, she stepped out of his way.

"Just looking to see if there's an extra blanket."

"Already found one in the sitting room. I just came in to get a pillow."

"Right." They stared uncomfortably at one another for a moment before Olivia registered what he'd said. "No, you're taking the bed, remember? I'll grab a pillow and be out of your way."

Elliot crossed his arms. "Don't be ridiculous. You're the woman; you take the bed."

Olivia bristled. "Just because I—"

Shaking his head, Elliot held up a hand. "I'm not implying anything, Liv. I'm just saying that I'm pretty familiar with sleeping on a sofa." His dark tone immediately quelled her argument. She knew he'd been banished to the couch in his own home more times than she could count, and he'd certainly crashed on hers often enough as well. If he was determined, then there was nothing she could say to sway him.

"Okay, fine. If you're going to be a bull about it..." She walked to the bed and grabbed one of the two pillows, handing it to Elliot. "I'll see you in the morning?"

Elliot snorted. "For the next three days, we're roommates," he told her. "Of course you will. Besides, it's only eight o'clock—are you really going to bed now?"

"Oh." Olivia glanced at her watch. He was right. "I guess today has just—been a long day," she offered.

"No shit," Elliot grumbled, rubbing a hand over the back of his head. "There's not even a TV. You wanna get outta here, maybe walk the property?"

The invitation hung in the air between them. Normally Olivia would have jumped at the chance to stretch her legs, but on the heels of her uncomfortable mental images of the two of them in the hot tub, she wasn't sure a walk in the moonlight was the best idea. Then she remembered her original plans for the evening and smiled at him. "Even better—wanna go get our phones back?"

A bark of laughter escaped Elliot, and he grinned at her. "That's my girl. Lead the way."

Giddy with the sense of being back on solid ground with her partner, Olivia practically bounded down the stairs. Elliot, of all people, had to remind her to be quiet. The cabin wasn't huge, and when they didn't hear anyone nearby, they crept into the unlocked office at the front of the building.

"They really need to work on their security," Elliot muttered.

"Why? You really think someone like Muffy is going to sneak into an office when there's a huge hot tub right in her room?" Olivia scoffed.

"Good point." Elliot strode behind the desk and tugged at the drawer. "Unfortunately she _did _lock our phones in." He started opening the other drawers, looking for a key, and Olivia scanned the walls for any kind of key hook. Neither was having any luck.

Just then, Olivia heard Traci's voice in the hall. She froze, her entire being focused on listening to that voice and determining if it was coming their way or not.

"El!" she whispered frantically. He looked up at her. "Traci!"

His lips pressed into a grim line and he scooted out from behind the desk. They tiptoed towards the back door, hoping to escape unnoticed, but it was no good. They were still a few steps away when the front doorknob turned.

"Play along!" Elliot hissed. He grabbed Olivia's arm and yanked her to him. She thought they might be diving behind the furniture or something, but before she knew what was happening, Elliot's lips were on hers and his arms had wrapped around her. She was so shocked that she just stood there, arms hanging uselessly at her sides.

"Kiss me back, Liv," he growled by her ear just as the door swung open. Flinging her arms around his neck, Olivia mashed her lips against his. Elliot's hands slid down her back, grasping her hips possessively. Olivia tilted her head to get a better angle and the motion sent the rational part of her brain into temporary hibernation. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to be as close to Elliot as possible. And she wanted him to kiss her as passionately as she wanted to kiss him.

The lights came on, and Traci's startled "oh!" brought Olivia out of her daze. She buried her face against Elliot's neck, not wanting to face him—or Traci—just yet.

"You two! You're the last ones I would have expected to be sneaking around and making out like teenagers," their therapist laughed. "I'm glad, though. Unfortunately I do have to ask you to leave, as Scott and I have some work to do."

"Sure thing," Elliot replied. Olivia frowned—he didn't sound affected by their embrace _at all_. She was sure that if she had to talk right now, she'd sound breathless and excited. Damn it. Elliot untangled their arms and gripped her elbow, steering her towards the door past Traci and her assistant. Olivia didn't have to fake the embarrassed smile she shot in Traci's direction.

Traci waved at them as they headed up the stairs, and Olivia heard the therapist pick up the conversation she'd been having with Scott. Neither Elliot nor Olivia spoke until they were back in their room, and even then Olivia had no idea what to say. As the silence grew unbearable, though, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "One of these days, we ought to try that while we're _not _undercover."

It was the wrong thing to say. Elliot took a step back and his expression closed. "Undercover. Right."

Olivia fidgeted for a moment before announcing, "I think I'll head to bed after all. Goodnight." She dashed for the door the bedroom and leaned against it after she'd closed it. Just when she'd thought things might be good between them again, she'd ruined it with her careless words. Sighing, she moved to the dresser to grab her pajamas, wondering how they were ever going to fix their partnership.

* * *

Nearly four hours later, Olivia was still wide awake. She'd been replaying the whole scene in Traci's office—and after—over and over, trying to figure out what she should have done or said differently. She was also feeling extremely guilty that Elliot was jammed onto the small sofa in the sitting room. She knew she'd never be able to convince him to let her sleep there, but maybe they could compromise. Jumping up and rearranging the bed a bit, she tiptoed out into the main room to see if Elliot was still awake.

"El?" she whispered, not wanting to disturb him if he was asleep.

"Yes, Liv? You okay?" came the raspy response.

She felt her shoulders sag in relief, and something else. His first thought was always her well-being—why had she never realized or appreciated that before?

"I'm fine. I, uh—" She didn't know how to phrase her request. She didn't want to give him the wrong impression. "I can't sleep because I feel so guilty about you being out here. So I made a blanket divider and, ah, wondered if you would agree to share. The bed, that is, not the divider." She had to clap a hand to her mouth to stop her babbling.

Elliot was quiet for so long that Olivia wondered if he'd actually dozed off while she was talking. Eventually, she heard him shift around on the couch, and once he was standing he mumbled, "Sure."

Unsure whether she should feel relieved or anxious about his agreement, she slipped back into the bedroom, holding the door for him to come through. Valiantly, in her opinion, she kept her gaze off his bare chest. He gave her a questioning look when he walked in, but she held his eye contact and he shrugged as he put his pillow down on one side of the bed. Olivia had no idea what the protocol for this type of situation was—did she get into bed first? Did he? Should they do it at the same time?

Not wanting him to sense her hesitation, she flipped off the light and felt her way to the bed. There was no sound coming from Elliot's side, so she thought he must be waiting for her. Slipping into the bed, she rolled as close to the edge as possible, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. Eventually she felt his weight sink onto the other side and she let out a breath.

"Goodnight," she said, horrified when it emerged as more of a croak.

"Goodnight, Liv," came the amused response.

She lay in utter stillness until her muscles started to quiver. She relaxed slightly, but her back touched the blanket divider and she stiffened again. Hell, she was never going to get any rest this way. She wanted to talk to him, hoping maybe a little idle chatter would help her relax enough to sleep. But what to discuss? They were lying in the same bed after sharing a toe-curling kiss. The reckless part of her brain told her _exactly _what she _ought _to be doing under such a circumstance, but she did her best to squash the carnal suggestions. Besides, it had all been for show. Right?

Rolling over, Olivia searched the darkness for Elliot's outline. He, too, seemed tense.

"El."

At her soft word, he rolled to face her as well. In the dark she could barely make out his features, but his eyes were easy to find in the gloom. Her breathing hitched as they stared at one another, and Elliot's eyes dropped to her mouth.

"El, down there in the office, did you—"

Elliot silenced her with a finger against her lips. "Shh, Liv. Let's just go to sleep and enjoy the _intimacy_."

She couldn't stifle a giggle when he pronounced it the same way Traci did. Elliot smiled and removed his finger, settling back on his pillows and closing his eyes. After watching him for a moment, Olivia rolled back onto her other side and tried to sleep, too. The vibe in the room had shifted from tense to comfortable, and it wasn't long before she was dozing off.

* * *

When she woke on Friday morning, Olivia found that she was alone in the bed. Feeling both relieved and let-down, she hurried to grab some clothes for the day. Peeking into the main room and the bathroom, she realized that Elliot must have gone downstairs already. She took a quick shower and twisted her hair back into a ponytail before dressing and applying her makeup. Less than thirty minutes later, she walked into the dining hall and found Elliot sitting with Melanie and Andrew. Muffy, Barney, and Traci were nowhere to be seen.

As she approached, Elliot laughed at something Andrew said, and the motion brought her into his range of vision. He gave her a large grin before continuing to shovel food into his mouth. Smiling herself, Olivia filled her plate with breakfast and took the seat next to him. Andrew and Melanie were telling stories about their most recent trip abroad and the massive fiasco they had with customs when they tried to leave. Laughing along, Olivia was surprised to notice that Elliot was actively engaged in their stories, even making his own comments here and there. The difference between this morning and yesterday was—well, it was like night and day.

When the other couple stood to refill their plates, Olivia leaned over to Elliot. "You're certainly in a better mood this morning," she murmured.

He jerked a thumb at the buffet. "All the bacon I can eat. What can I say? My outlook is much improved today."

Olivia laughed with him and returned to her food. Hopefully today they would be able to find a comfortable camaraderie, and by Monday, they'd be back at work.

* * *

"What's on our schedule?" Elliot asked Olivia after they'd finished eating. Traci had dispersed the couples for "morning reflection time" and admonished them not to be late to their first scheduled therapy session.

"Looks like we're having a group session this morning, then each couple will have their own session before lunch. After the break, she's seeing us in individual sessions all afternoon." Olivia scanned the rest of their paper. "There's a hell of a lot of down time," she muttered, mostly to herself.

"Reconnection time, I believe she called it," Elliot added helpfully.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to think you're enjoying this," she said.

"Come on, Liv, it's not every day you get to relax in a cabin and eat like a king."

She snorted. "Yeah. Therapy with you _is _my idea of a good vacation, thanks for reminding me."

As soon as the sarcastic words were out of her mouth, she wanted to take them back. They had formed a temporary and fragile truce, it seemed, and careless statements like that could send them hurtling back to the anger and hurt. But Elliot just grinned as he stood and held his hand out to her. "Let's go _reflect _somewhere outside."

* * *

They'd decided to squeeze in a jog before the first group session, and Olivia felt a little more like herself when they strolled into the therapy room an hour later. Muffy and Barney had jammed themselves into one armchair, leaving a sofa and two loveseats open. Olivia hung back and allowed Elliot to choose their seats. She was surprised but pleased when he picked one of the loveseats. As she settled beside him, though, she remembered that they were _supposed _to be acting like a couple. Sneaking a glance at Traci, Olivia reached over and twined her fingers with Elliot's. There. They could both pretend.

She felt his eyes on her but she kept her attention focused on the door, looking for Melanie and Andrew. The last couple joined them moments later, seating themselves on the couch. Traci clapped her hands and brightly called out, "Okay, let's get started!"

Overall, the session wasn't as bad as Olivia had been expecting. Mostly, Traci did the talking, and occasionally asked the couples to chime in. So far they had only covered the basics—how they'd met and what had drawn them to each other—and Olivia thought they might be home free for the day when Traci posed her next challenge.

"Here's what we're going to do now. Each one of you is going to face your partner and tell them three things that you love most about them. Be completely honest and pretend like the rest of us aren't here if you need to. Amanda, Dave, why don't you two start us off?"

Olivia felt Elliot's fingers tighten briefly on hers, and then he was turning to face her. She did the same. After seeing the look of anguish on his face, she decided to take one for the team and go first. She cleared her throat.

"El—uh, Dave. I admire your confidence." After the first statement, it was easier to make the others. "And I rely on you so much more than I should. You're dependable, capable, great at what you do—"

"That's more than three," he murmured for her ears only. Louder, he said, "Amanda. You are a generous person, you care deeply about your job, and I trust you with my life."

"Hold up, you two." Traci's exasperated tone reminded Olivia of an annoyed lapdog, whining for its owner's attention. "You're both being extremely generic! I've only known the people in this room for a day and I could say the same about any of you. I need you to get _specific_! Tell us how you _really feel_!"

Olivia swallowed and stared at Elliot, completely at a loss. This whole "couple" thing was a sham, but the therapy and their partnership wasn't. How could she get specific without being totally honest? And why did she feel she couldn't she be totally honest with Elliot, the person she trusted most in the world?

Elliot saved her by stepping into the breach. Taking a deep breath, his eyes bored into hers as he spoke. "You're the most phenomenal woman I've ever met. You have so much heart and sometimes it's a problem but I wouldn't want you any other way. And," Elliot looked away, over her shoulder, "God help me, but I think you're sexy as hell," he blurted out in a rush. As soon as he was done talking, he faced back towards the middle of the room and put his head in his hands.

Stunned, Olivia felt her jaw fall open. He thought she was sexy? How long had he felt this way? How come she'd never known? Did Kathy know? What was he thinking, crossing their invisible boundary line so spectacularly? Her thoughts were running rampant and it was all she could do not to interrogate him right here and now. Through her haze of surprise Traci's voice finally registered.

"—can see you're shocked by this, Amanda. Did you not believe, deep down, that Dave found you attractive? Dave, how do you typically show or tell Amanda that you appreciate her? Can anyone else offer their ideas for expressing these feelings—"

Traci continued but Olivia stopped listening again. It would be detrimental to their working relationship if she or Elliot _did _attempt to express such feelings on any kind of regular basis. Hell, she didn't know if they'd be able to recover from Elliot expressing those feelings _once_, much less _often_. Glancing around the room, she saw looks of sympathy, pity, and confusion on the faces of the others. Suddenly, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Excuse me—I need to—" Not even bothering to finish her sentence, Olivia leapt from the couch and fairly ran from the room. She didn't look back to see if Elliot was following or not.

* * *

**A/N: It's getting intense now! The next chapter will be the one that earns us our M rating for smut instead of language, yippee. As ever, I'm not Dick Wolf nor NBC, and I've watched an unhealthy amount of Elliot/Olivia fan videos over the past two days. PS-I'm still having massive issues with the stupid horizontal line breaks. UGH. **


	4. Chapter 3: Admittance

_Chapter 3: Admittance_

* * *

Steeling herself for further confusion and unpleasantness, Olivia pushed open the door to the cabin and headed toward the smaller therapy room. She'd hidden herself away in the surrounding woods for a while, trying to regain her composure and sort through everything she was feeling after Elliot's pronouncement. But now it was time for their couple-therapy session and, much as she didn't want to go, she also wanted to finish this farce and return to her job as quickly and painlessly as possible. Her normal, every-day job, where no one thought anyone else was sexy.

Or, at least, _tried _not to think that way.

Sighing, she entered the room and sank onto the sofa next to Elliot, staunchly refusing to make eye contact. Traci was nowhere to be seen.

"Liv, I'm sorry." His tone was pleading but she just couldn't bring herself to face him. Not yet. He continued anyway. "I came looking for you—"

"I know. You're as subtle as a bull in a china shop." She _had_ heard him come close to her spot once, but she hadn't revealed herself and he'd moved on. "I just needed some time, Elliot."

He was quiet for a moment. "I understand. Look, if you wanna bail on this whole thing, I'm sure we can work something else out with Cragen."

Thinking, Olivia stared down at her hands. Then she shook her head. "No, he said not to come back until we'd worked out our issues. And El—" She finally glanced up at him, "—we have a lot of issues. We may not be a 'couple,' but we need this."

They stared at one another and then Elliot nodded once. "Okay. But I have an idea to make it more bearable. Just follow my lead."

Olivia rolled her eyes at the return of his usual cockiness just as Traci entered. Their therapist clapped her hands when she saw both of them on the couch. "Good! You're already here so we can get started. I was a little worried we'd have to hunt you down, Amanda." She shot them a brilliant smile as she closed the door and took her seat. "So. We have some interesting dynamics to explore today."

"Actually, Traci, we wanted to talk to you a little first. You see—" Elliot glanced at Olivia and she just shrugged. She had no idea where he was going with this. "The thing is, Trace, we're not a couple. We're cops, and we're partners, and we were supposed to be at conflict resolution training." He held his hands out in a _oh well, what are you gonna do? _sort of gesture and waited for Traci's reaction. Their therapist glanced at Olivia for confirmation.

"He's right. We've been partnered for almost fifteen years and when we found out what this weekend really was—well, we just decided to brave it out." Olivia paused, debating her next words. When Traci just nodded thoughtfully, Olivia decided to forge ahead. "But there's a limit to the couple-y things we're willing to do. You have to understand, when we leave here, we go back to being coworkers in a high-stress environment. We can't—we can't talk about how attracted we are to one another!"

She felt her cheeks burn and once again refused to glance at Elliot. He probably thought she was accusing him, but really, she just needed Traci to back off them a little during group sessions. Surprisingly, their admissions seemed to have shocked Traci into being mature for once.

"I see. I have to say, this is the first time I've had this happen." She looked between the two of them and then nodded, almost to herself. "Well, it's like I told you on the first day—couples' therapy really is just conflict resolution, at the heart. I think if we just set some boundaries, we should still be able to help you two, but without veering into unwelcome territory." This time Traci's eyes remained locked on Olivia's. She seemed to be trying to figure out just _how _unwelcome it really was, and Olivia let her gaze slide away.

And then perky-cheerleader Traci was back. "Okay! Well we still have a lot of work to do in your first coup—er, partnered session. I guess my main question is: why do each of you think you're here?"

* * *

An hour later, Olivia and Elliot exited the small therapy room. The session had gone surprisingly well, and Olivia felt like she and Elliot were starting to broach subjects that had needed to be examined for a long time. It was kind of a relief, honestly, to get some things off her chest, and she suspected Elliot felt the same way. Olivia also admitted to herself—begrudgingly—that Traci was good at what she did. She'd managed to lead them into some helpful conversations without forcing anything on them, and Olivia hoped they could continue to work on their _partner _relationship now that the therapist knew their secret.

They decided to go for a run while they waited for the other couples to complete their group sessions. Traci had hinted at something "fun, fun, _fun_!" for the afternoon and Olivia was feeling particularly anxious about whatever their perky leader's idea of fun was. Some exercise would hopefully help her work out her tension, and she and Elliot had always run in companionable silence before, so there was no fear about delving into issues she didn't want to discuss right now.

As it turned out, Traci's fun activity was a simple game of capture the flag. Apparently she had decided to give them all the afternoon off from individual sessions, and Olivia was secretly relieved. There was no way she wanted to face Traci's inquisitive nature and uncanny ability to read people after the morning's events, so it was with barely disguised glee that she donned a t-shirt, stretchy pants, and sneakers for their outdoor time. Traci explained that they would have ten minutes to hide their flag, at which point a horn would sound and they could go in search of the other teams' flags. The idea was to give the couples time to work together towards a common goal, and Olivia thought this might be something at which she and Elliot could finally excel.

When Traci blew her whistle, Olivia leapt forward, calling, "Follow me!" over her shoulder at Elliot. He obeyed immediately and Olivia marveled at the level of trust they held in one another—at least most of the time. She sprinted into the woods to get out of sight of the other two couples before slowing her pace.

"I know the perfect place for our flag," she huffed as he caught up.

"Lead the way," Elliot murmured and she sped up again, leading him to her hiding spot from earlier. It was a small ridge at the edge of a pond, and it was completely hidden from view. The ground simply fell away near the water, but the four-foot drop disguised a small bench-like area, big enough for a person—or a flag. The beauty was that anyone approaching the pond wouldn't think twice about peering over the edge because the ridge wasn't obvious.

As Olivia hopped down and planted their flag into the dirt, she heard Elliot mutter, "Hidden in plain sight. Brilliant." She couldn't help the grin that stole across her face.

He reached down to give her a hand up, and Olivia tried not to think too much about the feel of his strong fingers clasped around her own. She was so focused, in fact, that she wasn't expecting his tug and lost her balance. Careening into him, she hurried to regain her footing and retrieve her hand. She could feel a blush starting and cursed Elliot's morning revelation yet again.

"Do you want to go after Melanie and Andrew's flag first, or Muffy and Barney's?" she asked. She didn't bother waiting for an answer before rushing on. "I'd bet that Muffy and Barney's is easier to find, so maybe we should grab theirs before Mel—"

"Liv." Elliot was smiling at her in that knowing way he had. She narrowed her eyes at him. "We have to wait for the horn, remember?"

"Right." Feeling even more awkward than before, Olivia paced around for a moment until a thought occurred to her. "Wait! We should be getting as far away from our flag as possible in case someone sees us—"

Elliot was already moving, gesturing for her to follow, so she did. She guessed they'd been moving stealthily through the forest for about three minutes before the horn sounded, so she hoped that if they _did _run into another team, they hadn't given anything away. Elliot stopped to consult with her and they agreed that Muffy and Barney would likely have thought that farther away was better, so they headed for the back extents of the forest. Within five minutes the trees started to thin out, and Elliot and Olivia each turned and took a different direction by unspoken consent. In this, at least, they were on the same level. Olivia felt some of their normalcy returning.

After about ten minutes, Olivia spotted a flash of blue underneath a nearby pile of leaves. "El!" she called out, excited as she grabbed up a flag.

He hurried over and grinned at her discovery. "Nice work," he said, reaching towards her. Olivia thought he wanted the flag, so she thrust it towards him at the same time his hand connected awkwardly with her shoulder. Realizing he'd meant to pat her on the back rather than take the flag, she flushed. Neither spoke for a long moment, and then Elliot made to grab the flag just as she dropped her arm. The tension ratcheted up when their mutual fumble caused Elliot's fingertips to brush against her breast.

Olivia drew in a sharp breath, and Elliot sighed as he tilted his head to crack his neck. "Sorry for making things weird with us," he said at last.

"No, it's not—we—" Olivia stuttered to a halt because really, he had been the one to open his mouth and admit that he was attracted to her. But they were adults, there had to be some way to fix this. Maybe if she just laughed it off, they could move on. "I'll refrain from filing a harassment complaint this time," she joked.

Elliot's face tightened and Olivia winced. Great. Now she'd insulted him somehow. "That is, I mean, it's not every day you get felt up by—"

"Liv, just stop." Her partner scrubbed a hand over his face before meeting her eyes. "I get it. You're freaking out because I said you were sexy but you don't feel the same way and now we're stuck in the wilderness together—"

"Oh, but I do!" she interjected. Then she slapped a hand over her mouth. _Idiot_.

Elliot looked confused. "You do what?"

Olivia closed her eyes, hoping against hope that someone would come along and ruin this moment before she was forced to answer. No one came, though, so she made her lips form the words. "I do. Feel the same way."

Silence reigned and Olivia peeked one eye open, expecting to find Elliot looking smug. Or at least flabbergasted. Instead, though, he just looked mad.

"You don't have to try and spare my feelings," he growled before ripping the flag from her unresisting hand and stomping off in the direction they'd come.

"But—I—" Well, now she was really confused. Did he really think she would lie about something as monumental as that just so he wouldn't feel like an idiot? _Probably_, her mind supplied helpfully. _You're too caring, he tells you that all the time_.

Huffing out an exasperated breath, Olivia scurried after the retreating form of one very offended detective.

* * *

They spoke only in one- and two-word directives as Elliot led them to the other side of the forest, where he was convinced the other team's flag was hidden. Olivia decided to go along, hoping that being in charge for a bit would help soothe Elliot's injured ego. In record time they located the flag and now Elliot was holding both. Thankfully, some of his sour mood seemed to have dissipated with the discovery of the second flag.

"Do you think we should hide and pretend that we're guarding our flag, or head back towards—"

"Ssh, someone's coming!" Elliot grabbed Olivia and pulled her beneath an outcropping of rock with him. There wasn't much space but Elliot pressed himself against the back wall and flattened her against him. They held their breaths, waiting to see who was coming.

It was Muffy and Barney. Olivia waited to hear their reactions to losing their flag, but the couple didn't even seem to notice. Actually, now that she could hear them more clearly, she realized they probably wouldn't notice if Olivia leapt out and waved the flag in front of them.

"Oh yes, Barney, god!" Muffy moaned. Olivia stiffened and she felt Elliot tense behind her as well. Suddenly the couple moved into view, and Olivia gasped as Barney lifted Muffy to pin her against a tree trunk. Luckily the two of them didn't seem to hear her, but Elliot clapped a hand over her mouth anyway.

"Are you sure you want to do this here?" Barney asked as Muffy tore at his belt. "Anyone could come along—"

"Oh, please. The others aren't playing some dumb game. They're doing the same thing we are," she assured him, kissing his neck. "Come on, baby, I'm so ready!"

Olivia looked at the two flags lying on the dirt at her feet and felt a stab of disillusion. So she and Elliot were the only two "dummies" to have taken the game seriously. And here she'd thought they'd been so clever to have gotten both flags so quickly.

The talking outside the little cave had ceased, and Olivia squeezed her eyes shut as the two lovebirds revealed themselves. Unfortunately, there was no escaping their hideout without discovery, and she and Elliot had a prime view of the action.

With her eyes shut, Olivia was suddenly, painfully aware of all the parts of her that were touching parts of Elliot. The hand on her mouth was firm but gentle, and she inhaled the scent of his skin guiltily. His other arm was still wrapped around her waist, holding her to him, and she could feel the flex of his fingers against her hip. Her entire back was pressed to his front, and Olivia let the sensations of his strong legs and solid torso sweep over her. She was lost in a bizarre purgatory of want and restraint—because this was her _partner _and she wouldn't—couldn't—jeopardize that. Not even if it promised to be absolutely fucking _delightful_.

A scream of pleasure from Muffy caused Olivia's eyes to snap open, and she got an eyeful of the amorous couple. Watching as Barney buried his face between his lover's breasts, Olivia felt herself loosen in a rush of arousal and she sank back against Elliot even more. He staggered once before bracing them more firmly. The hand at her hip tightened until it was almost painful, but Olivia didn't want him to move it so she didn't make a sound. Desperate for more contact, she dropped the flags and reached behind her to grip his thighs and hold herself upright.

"Liv, what are you doing?" Elliot asked tentatively into her ear. At this point, Olivia thought they could probably yell and Muffy and Barney wouldn't even notice, but she appreciated his whisper nonetheless. His breath against her cheek was its own version of erotic and she clenched his legs for dear life. She didn't bother to respond—wasn't it obvious she was in the midst of a moral dilemma? She didn't think he really expected an answer, anyway, because his hand was still covering her mouth.

Speaking of which... Olivia let her tongue slip out to trace the seam between two of Elliot's fingers, and to her amazement he didn't wrench his hand away. In his surprise, though, he did lower his hand just enough for her to suck the same two fingers into her mouth. She didn't know what had come over her, but being forced to watch Muffy and Barney go at it while her partner was stuck in a cave with her was proving too tempting to resist. That her partner also thought she was sexy didn't hurt, either.

Tasting Elliot's skin for the first time of her own accord and not because one of them was undercover nearly undid her. She bucked her hips against him and she swore she felt evidence of his return interest as well. Then Elliot moaned quietly and Olivia had definitive proof. She leaned her head back into the crook of his shoulder and reached up to pull his hand out of her mouth. Suffused with a new boldness, she placed his palm over her breast and held his hand there lest he try to remove it.

"God, Liv," he choked out, reflexively squeezing her breast in his large hand. She ground her hips against his growing erection just as they watched Barney finally plunge his cock into Muffy. "Shit!" Elliot gasped.

They remained nearly frozen that way while they watched the other couples' lovemaking grow more and more frantic. Elliot's hands remained still and Olivia resisted the urge to spin around and grind herself against him more effectively. All of Olivia's previous bravado had fled, and now it was all she could do not to bolt from their hiding spot in embarrassment. But she stayed where she was, because she had never been this turned on before.

Her lust only ratcheted up another notch when Muffy started to cry out her pleasure and Olivia felt Elliot's breathing grow ragged behind her. Her fingers flexed against his thigh in time with the couple outside. Soon, Barney's roar announced his completion as well, and the giggling but sated couple strolled from the woods, clothes gripped in their hands. Olivia focused on taking deep breaths to calm herself, but this only served to push her breast further into Elliot's hand. Releasing him suddenly, she stepped away and folded her arms around her waist. She gave him a minute to try to regain his composure, as well, and then she turned partially towards him.

"I guess we can head back now," was all she managed before she bolted from the cave. She couldn't bear to look at Elliot and see the expression on his face—if it was one of pity or disdain she wouldn't be able to stand it. Then again, if he was looking at her with desire, the consequences might be even worse.

She hurried through the woods in the general direction of the cabin, hearing Elliot's footsteps close behind her. Neither one spoke. Within two minutes, however, a crack of thunder sounded and the heaviest downpour Olivia'd ever experienced fell from the sky. Breaking into a run, Olivia looked over sharply when Elliot came even with her and grabbed her hand.

"Don't want you to trip," he shouted over the sound of more thunder. They raced through the forest, but it was no use. The cabin was still far away and the storm was torrential enough that they were soaked within seconds. Olivia hated the squishing sound coming from her shoes but knew it was a lost cause. At this point the best they could hope for was that neither one fell and took the other down with them.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the back patio of the cabin and dove under the awning. The wind still blew the rain at them, though, as Elliot struggled with the sliding door. Once he wrenched it open, they practically fell inside. The air conditioning made Olivia shiver, and she felt her nipples pucker. Judging by Elliot's quick glance at her, he'd noticed as well. Deciding to do her best to ignore it, she made her way to their room, Elliot right behind her. They grabbed all the towels from the bathroom and set to work drying themselves off in the main living area. Olivia's teeth were chattering, though, and she needed to get out of her clothes. There was no way she was going to do that in front of Elliot, however.

"I'm, um, going to hop in the bathtub, I think," she blurted out, thinking longingly of the hot water bubbling away in the tub. Plus, the privacy of the bathroom would allow her some time to regain her composure.

Elliot simply jerked his head in acknowledgement and Olivia dashed for the bathroom. Slamming the door shut, she let out a deep breath. She'd felt his eyes on her the whole way, and the shivers racking her body were no longer purely from the cold.

* * *

**A/N: So I just realized today that Olivia's alias, Amanda Collins, is basically the name of Amanda Rollins, one of the newer cops. Oops. It was unintentional, and I'll just say that maybe Cragen grabbed the name off a resume he had sitting on his desk at the time. *magic***

**Not Dick Wolf or NBC.**


End file.
